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Our  Teeth: 


How  to  Take  Care  of  T 


hem 


BY 

Victor   C.    Bell,    A.B.     D.D.S. 


With  an  Introduction  by  Ossian   H.  Lang 


Adapted  for  the  Use  of  Elementary  Schools  as  Text-book 
or  Supplementary  Reader 


Third  Edition.— Carefully  Revised 


Young  America   Publishing   Company 
in  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 


Copyright,  tqoo  and  1901 
Victor  C.  Bell,  M.D.,  D.D.S. 


R0ON5Y   &  OTTEN   PRINTING   CO.,    NEW   YORK. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Physiology  has  become  one  of  the  fundamental  studies  in  the  ele- 
mentary schools.  In  connection  with  it  is  given  instruction  in  the 
simple  laws  of  hygiene.  Special  attention  is  devoted  to  the  evil 
effects  of  alcoholic  beverages  and  narcotics.  All  this  is  commendable 
and  encouraging  to  the  friends  of  educational  progress.  The  well- 
being  of  the  body  cannot  be  too  highly  regarded  in  the  making  up  of 
school  programs. 

One  logical  result  of  the  more  intelligent  interest  of^the  people 
in  matters  concerning  the  health  of  children  is  the  introduction  of  ex- 
pert medical  inspection  of  the  schools.  Thus  far  this  inspection  has 
confined  itself  largely  to  the  sanitary  conditions  of  school  buildings 
and  the  general  health  of  pupils.  If  there  has  been  any  specialization 
it  has  been  examination  into  the  condition  of  children's  eyes  and 
ears,  and  perhaps  also  of  the  nose  and  throat.  One  important  factor 
seems  to  have  been  largely  disregarded,  and  that  is  the  need  of  a 
periodical  dental  inspection.  The  principal  reason  for  the  oversight 
is  probably  to  be  found  in  the  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  the 
average  physician  in  the  health  of  teeth.  This  fieid  has_  long  been 
left  entirely  to  the  dentist,  and  the  latter  has  not,  at  least  in  the 
United  States,  been  made  a  member  of  the  boards  of  medical  ex- 
aminers for  schools. 

In  Germany,  France,  Belgium,  Sweden  and  Japan,  the  importance 
of  the  examination  of  school  children's  teeth  by  a  competent  dentist 
has  long  received  practical  recognition.  In  Great  Britain  the  ques- 
tion has  been  agitated  for  some  years,  and  all  signs  point  to  a  speedy 
adoption  of  dental  inspection  and  the  teaching  of  the  proper  care  of 
the  teeth  at  least  in  city  schools.  The  usual  plan  is  to  employ  dental 
surgeons  to  make  periodical  examinations  of  every  pupil.  Records 
are  kept,  and  parents  are  advised  concerning  proper  care,  or  free 
treatment  is  given  to  the  poor.  A  similar  system  is  very  much 
needed  in  this  country.  State,  county  and  municipal  examiners  of 
children's  teeth  must  become  a  part  of  the  public  school  machinery. 


Meanwhile  instruction  in  the  proper  care  of  the  teeth  ought  to  be 
made  an  obligatory  part  of  the  elementary  school  course  in  physi- 
ology and  hygiene.  So  much  depends  upon  cleanliness  and  health  of 
the  mouth  and  teeth  that  the  reasonableness  of  this  proposition  will 
be  at  once  recognized.  The  decay  of  the  temporary  teeth  may  work 
lasting  injury.  Digestion  is  frequently  impaired  by  imperfect  mas- 
tication due  to  defective  molars.  The  presence  of  microbes  bred  in 
particles  of  food  left  between  the  teeth  is  often  the  source  of  serious 
stomach  troubles.  Nervous  difficulties  of  various  kinds  can  be  traced 
to  neglect  of  the  teeth.  And  the  inference  is  by  no  means  far-fetched 
that  the  development  of  serious  lung  diseases  has  resulted  from  a 
neglected  mouth. 

There  is  still  a  weightier  reason  for  legal  insistence  upon  proper 
instruction  in  the  care  of  teeth  at  school.  Many  thousands  of  dollars 
are  expended  each  year  for  systems  of  school  ventilation.  The 
people  cheerfully  bear  this  burden  of  expense  because  they  are  con- 
vinced of  the  need  of  keeping  the  air  of  rooms  in  which  children  are 
brought  together  as  pure  as  possible.  But  strangely  enough  school 
authorities  have  thus  far  overlooked  the  important  fact  that  the 
pestiferous  odors  issuing  from  neglected  mouths  are  rendering  the 
problem  of  ventilation  almost  impossible  of  solution.  How  much 
money — and  what  is  greater,  how  much  health — might  be  saved  by 
intelligent  attention  to  the  laws  of  dental  hygiene ! 

In  urging  the  claims  of  the  special  instruction  of  children  in  mat- 
ters relating  to  the  care  of  their  teeth,  I  frequently  meet  the  objec- 
tion that  such  specialization  will  result  in  loading  the  course  of  study 
with  all  sorts  of  subjects  of  physiologic  import;  that  some  will  want 
lessons  on  the  care  of  the  eye,  others  will  want  to  have  the  structure 
of  the  ear  taught,  etc.  These  arguments  only  furnish  additional 
proof  of  the  prevalent  ignorance  relative  to  the  importance  of  the 
health  of  the  teeth.  To  begin  with,  the  value  of  good  eyes  and  good 
ears  is  pretty  generally  recognized.  Regular  tests  of  sight  and  hear- 
ing are  made  in  a  large  number  of  schools.  Yet  difficulties  and  dis- 
eases of  these  organs  affect,  as  a  rule,  only  the  possessor.  On  the 
other  hand,  neglected  teeth  are  breeding-stations  for  poisons  and 
diseases  with  which  the  breath  viiiates  the  air  that  others  must 
inhale,  and  thus  there  is  a  danger  affecting  the  health  of  many. 
Furthermore,  it  is  not  necessary  to  take  up  much  time  with  the  sub- 
ject of  tooth  hygiene.  One  hour  a  month  for  a  year  in  the  primary 
school  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  cover  the  ground  as  marked  out  in 


this  book.  That  certainly  is  not  asking  much.  If,  however,  the 
course  is  so  crowded  that  there  seems  to  be  no  room  even  for  so 
small  a  demand,  then  something  of  less  importance  should  be  elim- 
inated. Part  of  the  time  given  to  the  so-called  "supplementary" 
reading  might  be  utilized  to  advantage.  The  wisdom  of  making 
whatever  sacrifice  is  necessary  to  introduce  lessons  on  the  care  of  the 
teeth  is  too  evident  to  need  further  discussion. 

The  lack  of  proper  text-books  has  long  stood  in  the  way.  But 
this  will  no  longer  furnish  an  excuse  for  the  omission  of  this  im- 
portant subject  from  the  school  programs.  The  present  book  is  well 
adapted  for  schoolroom  use  and  the  reading  of  children.  It  was 
prepared  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Victor  C.  Bell,  of  New  York, 
author  of  "Popular  Essays  on  the  Care  of  the  Teeth  and  Mouth," 
who  has  for  many  years  devoted  himself  to  the  popularization  of  the 
laws  governing  dental  hygiene.  He  was  assisted  in  the  writing  of 
this  book  by  a  teacher  of  successful  experience  and  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  children  and  young  people  generally.  The  subject  has 
been  enlivened  with  bright  illustrations  which  children  will  enjoy. 
Every  chapter  has  been  submitted  to  the  critical  judgment  of 
teachers  before  its  final  adoption.  No  care  has  been  wanting  to  pro- 
duce a  book  that  will  stand  every  expert  test  on  the  teacher's  side  as 
well  as  that  of  the  dentist.  Summaries  and  questions  are  given  at 
the  end  of  every  chapter  to  fix  in  the  pupils'  minds  the  things  to  be 
remembered.  Especial  attention  is  also  called  to  the  summaries 
given  in   the  appendix. 

I  take  pleasure  in  commending  this  work  to  the  kindly  considera- 
tion of  teachers,  school  officers  and  parents.  It  has  a  worthy  mis- 
sion, and  will,  it  is  hoped,  lead  the  way  to  an  increasing  respect  for 
the  laws  of  health.  Ossian  H.  Lang. 

New  York* 


'A  sound  tooth  is  of. more  value  than  a  diamond." — Cervantes. 


HOW  TEETH  GROW. 

When  a  little  baby  comes  into  the  world  it 
has  not  a  single  tooth.  If  you  could  look 
into  a  baby's  mouth  you  would  see  nothing 
more  than  a  little  pink  tongue  and  two  soft 
rosy  gums.  When  baby  is  five  or  six 
months  old  it  begins  to  bite  its  playthings, 
its  rattle  or  its  rubber  ring;  that  is  because 
the  gums  are  growing  hard  and  sore  where 
the  teeth  will   soon  come  through. 

Some  morning  when  baby  laughs,  mother 
will  see  a  tiny  white  front  tooth  just  peeping 
through  the  lower  gum.  Pretty  soon  an- 
other like  the  first  begins  to  push  its  way 
out.  And  after  a  few  weeks  more,  two 
other  little  teeth  grow  down  from  the  upper 
gum  to  help  the  first  two  teeth  to  bite. 

When  these  teeth  have  grown  pretty  well 
four  more  come  out.  Now  baby  can  eat  a  bit 
of  bread  and  butter,  biting  off  the  pieces  al- 
most as  well  as  sister  or  brother.   And  so  the 


0 


teeth  keep  coming  until  there  are  twenty  in 
all.  These  are  called  the  baby  or  milk  teeth. 
After  the  baby  teeth  have  all  grown  the 
little  child  has  a  rest  of  three  or  four  years. 
But  by  and  by,  when  the  baby  has  grown  to 
be  a  big  boy  or  girl  and  is  about  six  years 


"wmM i 


rold,  he  finds  that  his  gums 
way  back  behind  all  of  his 
teeth  feel  sore.  This  means 
that  four  more  teeth  are  pushing  their  way 
through,  two  upper  and  two  lower  teeth. 
They  are  called  the  six-year-old  teeth. 

After  these  four  teeth   are   quite    grown, 
our  boy  or  girl  has  to  learn  to  be  very  brave. 


He  must  lose  all  his  little  milk  teeth. 
Their  places  will  be  taken  by  the  perma- 
nent teeth  which  must  last  him  as  long 
as   he  lives. 

It  takes  about  six  years  to  change  the 
baby  teeth  for  the  permanent  ones,  and  if 
you  lose  your  first  two  front  teeth  at  the 
age  of  five,  it  will  take  until  you  are  about 
twelve  years  old  before  you  have  a  mouth 
full   of  second   or  permanent  teeth. 

The  last  four  teeth  to  grow  are  called 
wisdom  teeth.  They  do  not  make  one  wise. 
They  are  so  named  because  they  do  not 
come  until  people  are  grown  up,  and  so 
are  supposed   to   be   very   wise. 

When  all  the  teeth  are  grown  you  will 
have  thirty-two,  sixteen  in  the  upper  jaw 
and  sixteen  in  the  lower  one.  Very  few 
people  have  the  full  number.  That  is  be- 
cause most  of  them  do  not  take  proper 
care  of  their  teeth.  Many  do  not  know 
how  to  do  it.  You  will  learn  from  this 
book  how  to  keep  your  teeth  in  good  health 
and  nice  looking. 


8 


POINTS    TO    REMEMBER. 

A  baby's  teeth  begin  to  come  through  the  gum 
when    it    is    five    or   six    months    old. 

When  the  child  is  two  years  old  it  has  twenty 
baby   or    milk   teeth. 


Jaws  of  a  Six-year-old  Child,  the  Outer  Plate  of  Bone 
Removed  to  Show  Germs  of  Permanent  Teeth. 


The    child    begins   to    have    its   permanent   teeth 
at   the    age  of  six   years. 

When    the    child     is    twelve    years    old    it    has 
twenty- eight   permanent   teeth. 


The  last  four  teeth  to  grow,  the  wisdom  teeth, 
usually  come  after  a  person  is  twenty  years 
old. 


QUESTIONS. 

i.     What    kind    of   teeth    has    a   tiny    baby? 

2.  When    do    the    first   teeth    grow  ? 

3.  What  are   they    called  ? 

4.  How     long    does     it    take     for    all    the    milk 
teeth   to    gro  w  ? 

5.  What   becomes  of   the    milk    teeth    when  the 
permanent   teeth    come  ? 

6.  What    are    the     teeth    called    that   grow    the 
very    last    of   all  ? 

7.  How    many  teeth    do    grown-up    people  have 
in    all? 


NAMES    OF  THE    TEETH. 


Open  your  mouth  very  wide  and  look  at 
your  teeth  in  a  mirror.  Are  they  all  alike? 
You  will  notice  that  your  front  teeth  are 
flat  and  thin.  The  teeth  farther  back  in 
the  mouth  are  thicker  and  stronger. 

The  flat  front  teeth  are  called  single 
teeth.  The  larger  ones  farther  back  are 
the  double  teeth. 

Now  both  front  and  back  teeth  have 
names  of  their  own.  These  are  rather  long 
but  you  can  remember  them  if  you  try. 
The  first  four  teeth  nearest  the  front,  both 
upper  and  under,  are  called  incisors.  This 
sounds  like  a  very  hard  name.  But  you 
will  not  forget  it  easily  because  it  is  almost 
like   scissors.     Can   you  guess   why? 

The  scissors  are  made  to  cut  with,  you 
know.  And  so  are  the  incisors.  They  are 
called  incisors  or  cutting  teeth,  because  they 
cut  into  the  apple  or  piece  of  bread  that  we 

IO 


II 

want  to  eat.  You  can  see  this  for  yourself. 
Just  as  soon  as  you  close  your  teeth  together 
to  take  a  bite  of  the  apple  these  four  incisors 
cut  right  into  it  at  once. 

The  twelve  teeth  farthest  back  are  called 
molars.  This  name  3^011  can  understand  if 
you  think  of  miller.  You  know,  of  course, 
that  the  miller  makes  his  living  by  grinding 


corn.  Nowr  just  remember  that  our  molar 
teeth  are  the  ones  that  grind  or  chew  what 
we  eat. 

Three  of  the  molars  grow  on  each  side  of 
the  upper  and  also  the  low^er  jaw,  so  making 
the  twrelve  in  all. 

In  front  of  the  molars  are  the  bicuspids. 


12 


As  there  are  two  bicuspids  on  each  side  of  the 
jaw,  there  must  be  eight  in  all.  Count  and 
see  if  you  can  find  all  eight.  You  can  tell 
them  from  the  others  because  each  bicuspid 
has  two  points.     And  that  is  why  they  have 


their  long  funny  name.     For  bicuspid  means 
two  pointed. 

The  third  tooth  from  the  front  on  each 
side,  upper  and  under,  is  the  canine  tooth. 
The  word  canine  means  dog.      You  know 


13 

that  a  dog  has  four  large,  pointed  teeth 
made  so  that  he  can  tear  his  meat  and  crush 
the  bones.  Now  our  canine  teeth  are  more 
pointed  than  the  rest  and  are  shaped  some- 
what like  the  dog's.  That  is  why  we  call 
them  canine  or  dog's  teeth. 

Now  if  you  cannot  remember  just  which 
tooth  is  which,  you  can  at  least  tell  the  four 
names,  incisors,  canines,  bicuspids,  and  mo- 
lars. 

This  is  the  order  in  which  the  grown-up 
teeth  come.  The  first  molars  grow  when  the 
boy  or  girl  is  about  six  years  old.  Then 
come  the  eight  incisors,  then  the  eight  bicus- 
pids, then  the  canines,  and  last  of  all  the 
other  molars.  The  last  four  molars  are  the 
same  as  the  wisdom  teeth,  and  these  we  do 
not  have  till  we  are  really  grown-up. 

Would  you  like  to  know  why  some  of  the 
teeth  are  single  and  some  double  ?  Let  us 
see  if  you  cannot  tell  for  yourself.  If  some- 
body gives  you  a  nice  juicy  apple  how  do 
you  begin  to  eat  it?  You  take  a  bite,  of 
course.     Now  what  teeth  did  you  use  to  bite 


with?  You  know,  if  you  think  a  minute, 
that  they  were  the  front  ones.  Can  you  see 
now  why  the  front  teeth  are  thin  and  flat  ? 
They  are  made  in  the  best  way  for  biting. 
When  you  had  a  mouthful  of  the  apple 
you  chewed  it  with  the  back  teeth,  did 
you  not?  So  the  back  teeth  are  made  for 
chewing  and  are  large  and  square  so  that 
we  can  chop  the  food  fine  enough  to  swallo^  . 

-» 

.8 
POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

The  front  teeth  are  flat  and  thin.  They  are  called 
single  teeth. 

The  back  teeth  are  larger  than  the  front  ones, 
and  are  called  double  teeth. 

The  eight  teeth  nearest  the  front  are  called 
incisors. 

The  twelve  teeth  farthest  back  are  the  molars. 

In  front  of  the  molars  are  eight  bicuspids. 

The  third  tooth  from  the  front  on  each  side  is 
a  canine  tooth. 

The  front  teeth  are  made  for  biting,  the  back  teeth 
for  chewing. 


*5 
QUESTIONS. 

1.  What  two  kinds  of  teeth  do  Ave  see  when  we 
look  at  our  mouths  in  a  mirror  ? 

2.  What  are  the  teeth  right  in  front  called  ? 

3.  Why  are  the  very  front  teeth  called  incisors  ? 

4.  What  are   the   teeth   way  back   in   the  mouth 
called  ? 

5.  Why  are'the  teeth  farthest  back  called  molars  ? 
0.  What  are  the  teeth  in  front  of  the  molars  ? 

7.  What  does  the  name  bicuspid  mean  ? 
.  Where  are  the  canine  teeth  ? 

9.  Why  are  the  canine  teeth  so-called  ? 
10.  When  do  the  teeth  grow  and  in  what  order  ? 
n.  Why  are  some  teeth  single  and  some   double? 


WHAT  TEETH  ARE  MADE  OF. 

Lobsters  like  to  fight.  Sometimes  they 
fight  each  other  so  hard  that  a  claw  is  bro- 
ken off.  This  is  not  so  bad  for  the  lobster 
as  you  might  think,  for  a  new  claw  will 
grow  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  one. 

But  people  were  not  made  like  lobsters. 
When  a  human  being  loses  a  tooth  or  a  fin- 
ger he  can  never  have  one  grow  in  its  place 
again  as  long  as  he  lives. 

When  the  teeth  grow  twice  in  our  lives,  it 
would  seem  as  if  they  at  least  might  grow  a 
third  time.  But  they  do  not ;  we  can  never 
have  a  third  set  of  teeth,  except  that  we  can 
have  false  ones  put  in  by  the  dentist. 

The  materials  of  which  the  teeth  are  made 
are  enamel,  dentine,  cementum,  and  pulp. 
Do  you  believe  you  can  learn  to  remem- 
ber these  four  names  ? 

The  outside  of  the  tooth,  the  part  that  is 
seen  when  we  talk  or  laugh,  is  called  the 

T.6 


i7 


crown.  The  crown  is  covered  with  en- 
amel. You  can  easily  remember  the  name 
if  you  keep  in  mind  that  enamel  means  a 
covering,  enamel  covers  or  coats  the  tooth. 

Enamel  is  very  hard,  much  harder  than 
bone.  It  is  smooth  and  shiny,  and  almost 
white.  It  is  made  hard  so  that  we  may 
chew  without  breaking  our 
teeth. 

The  part  of  a  tooth  that 
we  see  is  really  only  about 
one  third  of  the  whole  tooth. 
There  must  be  some  way  of 
keeping  it  firmty  in  place,  so 
a  tooth  has  one  or  more  roots. 
These  are  all  inside  the  jaw. 
The  roots  are  in  very  tight. 
That  is  why  it  hurts  so  much  to  have  a 
tooth  drawn. 

The  main  substance  of  the  tooth,  includ- 
ing the  root,  is  called  dentine.  This  forms 
the  whole  inside  of  every  tooth  and  is 
pretty  hard,  though  not  nearly  so  hard  as 
enamel. 


Tooth  Cut  in  Half. 


i8 


The  root  is  covered  with  a  thin  layer  of 
cementum.  This  is  over  the  root  just  the 
same  as  the  enamel  covers  the  part  of  the 
tooth  outside  the  gum. 


X        Uumi>-T) 


If  the  enamel,  the  dentine  and  the  cemen- 
tum were  all  there  was  of  the  tooth  we 
should  never  have  toothache.       But  then  we 


19 

should  not  be  able  to  keep  our  teeth  more 
than  five  or  six  years.  So  through  the  center 
of  the  dentine  is  a  canal  filled  with  pulp. 
The  pulp  has  nerves  and  blood-vessels  run- 
ning through  it  just  as  the  nerves  and  blood- 
vessels run  through  the  hand  or  the  arm. 

You  can  see  how  the  blood-channels  go 
through  the  hand  if  you  look  at  the 
blue  veins.  You  can  find  the  nerves  by 
pricking  the  skin  of  your  hand  with  a  pin. 
As  soon  as  you  touch  a  nerve  you  will  feel 
pain.  So  it  is  with  the  nerves  of  the  teeth. 
If  you  ever  have  toothache  you  may  be 
sure  that  a  nerve  of  the  tooth  has  been 
hurt  in   some   way. 

The  nerve  is  sensitive.  That  means  it  is 
very  easily  hurt.  The  nerve  must  therefore 
be  treated  well  or  it  will  punish  the  tooth 
by  making  it  ache.  If  the  tooth  is  not  well 
taken  care  of  it  decays.  This  leaves  the 
nerve  open  to  the  air  and  the  tooth  begins 
to  ache.  Or  a  little  candy  is  eaten  and  the 
exposed  nerve  begins  to  show  that  it  does 
not  like  much  sweet  stuff. 


20 

The  substances  from  which  the  tooth  is 
made,  that  is  the  dentine,  enamel,  cemen- 
tum  and  pulp,  are  formed  of  two  kinds  of 
matter.  The  tooth  is  almost  all  mineral 
matter  (lime),  something  like  shell  or 
stone.  But  there  is  also  a  little  animal 
matter  which  is  used  for  the  blood-vessels 
and  nerves. 


POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

Teeth  have  four  main  parts,  enamel,  dentine, 
cementum  and  pulp. 

The  main  substance  of  the  tooth  is  dentine.  This 
makes  up  the  crown  or  the  part  outside  the  jaw, 
and  the  root. 

The  crown  of  the  tooth  is  covered  with  enamel, 
the  root  is  covered  with  cementum. 

The  opening  inside  the  dentine  is  filled  with  pulp. 

The  pulp  has  nerves  and  blood-vessels  passing 
through  it. 

These  tooth  substances  are  animal  and  mineral, 
with  more   of  the  mineral  than  animal. 


21 

QUESTIONS. 

i.  What    happens    to    a    lobster  if   he    loses    his 
claw  ? 

2.  How  many  sets  of  teeth  can  a  man  grow  ? 

3.  What  are  the  teeth  made  of  ? 

4.  What  does  the  word  enamel  mean  ? 

5.  What    part  of  the    tooth  is    covered  with  en- 
amel ? 

6.  What  keeps  the  tooth  in  place  when  we  bite 
or  chew  ? 

7.  Where  is  the  root  ? 

8.  Where  is  the  dentine  ? 

9.  Where  is  the  cementum  ? 

10.  With  what  is  the  inside  of  the  tooth  filled  ? 

1 1 .  What  is  there  in  the  pulp  ? 

12.  What  hurts  when  we  have  a  toothache  ? 

13.  How  can  we  keep  our  teeth  from  aching  ? 


WHAT  TEETH    ARE    FOR. 

Have  you  ever  watched  a  robin  hunt  for 
his  breakfast?  He  runs  along  on  the  grass 
until  he  spies  a  fat  earthworm.  He  picks 
up  the  worm,  swallows  it  alive  and  is  all 
ready  to  look  for  another.  Even  the  baby 
robins   eat   worms   right   down  wThole. 

They  do  not  need  to  chew  their  food,  for 
they  have  bits  of  sand  and  tiny  gravel- 
stones  in  their  gizzards  that  cut  and  grind 
the  worms  and  bugs  into  very  small 
pieces. 

Many  birds  eat  gravel  and  sand  for  cut- 
ting up  and  grinding  their  food  to  get  it 
ready   for   digestion. 

That  is  why  birds  pick  up  bits  of  gravel 
and  swallow  them  as  if  they  liked  them. 
We  should  think  we  were  pretty  badty  off 
if  we  had  to  eat  a  spoonful  of  sand  every 
day.  So  we  have  teeth  to  help  us  cut  our 
food  into  small   pieces  instead,  and  we  are 


22 


23 

ever  so  much  better  off  than  the  birds.    Do 
you  not  think  so  yourself? 

As  we  chew  our  food  we  mix  it  with  the 
saliva  in  the  mouth.  This  saliva  helps  to 
digest  the  food  after  it  has  reached  the 
stomach.  And  that  is  the  reason  why  chil- 
dren should  learn  to  eat  slowly  and  chew 
their  food  a  long  time  before  they  swallow 
it.  If  it  is  not  chewed  well,  it  does  not 
digest  as  it  should  and  then  we  may  get 
sick. 

Have  you  ever  noticed  that  a  dog  keeps 
on  gnawing  his  bone  after  the  meat  is  all 
gone?  This  helps  to  keep  his  teeth  clean 
and  strong.  In  just  the  same  way  our 
teeth  are  made  strong  by  chewing.  People 
who  bolt  their  food  whole  are  apt  to  have 
black  unsightly  teeth,  and  to  lose  them 
young. 

So  you  see  there  are  several  good  rea- 
sons for  chewing  our  food  well  before 
swallowing   it. 


24 
POINTS    TO    REMEMBER. 

Our  teeth  are  given  us  for  chewing  our  food 
so    that    it    may    digest. 

Food  as  it  is  chewed  is  mixed  with  saliva,  and 
the    saliva    is    an    aid    to    digestion. 

The  food  should  be  chewed  slowly,  or  the  health 
and    the    teeth    will    be  spoiled. 


QUESTIONS. 

1.  Where    is    the    robin's    food    cut    into    bits? 

2.  What  does  the  robin  eat   to  help  his  food  to 
digest  ? 

3.  What    are    our   teeth    made    for? 

4.  Why    ought    we    to    chew    very    slowly  ? 

5.  What    will    happen  if   we    swallow    our  food 
without   chewing   it  ? 


fTT 


CARE  OF  THE  TEETH. 

We  all  want  to  have  pretty,  white  teeth, 
and  have  them  last  as  long  as  possible. 
This  means  that  we  must  take  very  good 
care  of  our  teeth. 

The  teeth  ought  to  be  brushed  after  every 
meal.  If  it  cannot  always  be  done  we 
should  at  least  take  great  care  to  clean  them 
just  before  we  go  to  bed  and  before  break- 
fast in  the  morning,  so  that  no  bits  of  food 
may  be  caught  between  the  teeth. 

It  is  better  to  brush  the  teeth  with  warm 
water  than  cold.  Very  cold  water  or  very 
hot  water  is  apt  to  crack  the  enamel  and 
cause  decay. 

When  you  buy  a  brush  select  one  that  is 
soft  rather  than  a  stiff  one.  A  stiff  brush 
is  apt  to  cut  the  gums  and  make  them  bleed 
a  little,  so  that  they  grow  tender.  You 
should  always  brush  the  teeth  up  and  down 
instead  of  around  the  gum.      It  is  well  after 

25 


26 

cleaning  to  draw  a  silk  thread  in  and  out 
between  the  teeth  to  take  away  any  bits  of 
food  that  ma}^  have  caught  there. 

Tooth-powder  helps  to  keep  the  teeth 
clean,  but  take  great  care  never  to  use  a 
powder  or  wash  that  contains  acid.  Any 
acid  eats  into  the  teeth  and  spoils  them. 

You  do  not  need  to  brush  the  teeth  with 
powder  more  than  once  a  day,  or  every 
other  da}^  will  do  quite  as  well.  The  brush 
and  warm  water  will  keep  them  clean 
enough  between  times. 

As  often  as  once  in  six  months  you  should 
have  a  dentist  clean  your  teeth.  Little  by 
little,  no  matter  how  careful  we  are  about 
brushing,  tartar  will  collect. 

Tartar  is  a  substance  that  collects  on  the 
teeth  from  the  fluids  in  the  mouth.  It  is 
something  like  shell.  Tartar  makes  the 
gums  spongy  instead  of  hard  and  firm.  It 
pushes  the  gums  away  from  the  teeth  so 
that  they  become  loose.  Besides,  it  makes 
the  breath  unpleasant  and  if  it  is  not  re- 
moved in  time,  it   is  apt  to  hurt  the  teeth. 


27 

The  dentist  has  spent  years  learning  how 
to  work  about  the  roots  of  the  teeth  with- 
out  hurting   them. 

At  least  once  a  day,  after  the  teeth  have 
been  brushed,  the  mouth  should  be  rinsed 
with  a  mouth-wash.  An5^  alkaline  water* 
is  good  enough  for  this  purpose.  The 
mouth-wash  should  be  used  in  the  morning 
or  at  night,  or  better  at  both  times. 

If  you  take  care  to  keep  your  teeth  just 
as  clean  as  }^ou  can,  and  have  the  dentist 
look  after  them  once  in  a  while,  you  will 
be  sure  to  have  a  sweet  mouth.  Your 
breath  will  be  sweet  too,  and  you  will 
have  hard  firm  gums  and  sound  teeth.  We 
do  not  need  to  speak  of  what  will  happen 
if  you  do  not  take  good  care  of  your  teeth, 
for  all  nice  people  are  as  careful  about 
brushing  the  teeth  as  they  are  about  wash- 
ing  their   hands. 

Note. — The  following  powder  will  answer 
excellently  well  as  a  preparation  for  cleans- 


*  Water  containing  an  alkali. 


28 

ing  the  teeth.     Young  people  may  be  glad 
to  have  the  prescription  filled  for  their  use : 

TOOTH    POWDER. 

Soap  powder 2  drachms 

Prepared  chalk 4  ounces 

Bisulphate  of  quinine 4  grains 

Powdered  cuttle-fish 4  drachms 

Oil  of  rose 4  drops 

The  following  mouth-wash  is  antiseptic 
and  sweet  to  the  taste.  (Anti-septic  means 
that  it  prevents   decay.) 

ALKALINE   MOUTH-WASH. 

Borax  powder 4  drachms 

Glycerine  \      f  each y  ounce 

Tmct.  of  myrrh  J  ' 

Rose  water 10  ounces 

POINTS    TO    REMEMBER. 

The  teeth  ought  to  be  brushed  after  every  meal. 

It  is  better  to  use  warm  water  than  cold  for 
cleansing   the    teeth. 

Use    a    soft    tooth-brush. 

Use  tooth-powder  once  a  day,  but  be  careful 
not   to    use   a    powder   that    contains    acid. 

Tartar  should  be  removed  from  the  teeth  by 
a    dentist    as    often   as    once    in    six    months. 

Rinse  the  mouth  once  a  day  with  some  mouth- 
wash. 


29 

QUESTIONS. 

i.   How  can  we  have  nice  teeth  ? 

2.  How  often  ought  the  teeth  to  be  brushed  ? 

3.  What  kind  of  a  brush  should  be  used  for  the 
teeth  ? 

4.  How  often  should    the  teeth    be  cleaned    by  a 
dentist  ? 

5.  What  is  tartar  ? 

6.  What  is  the  best  kind  of  mouth-wash  ? 

7.  How  often  ought  the  mouth  to  be  rinsed  with  a 
mouth- wash  ? 


What  the  Lion's  Teeth  Cannot  Do,  the  Lituc  Mouse's  Can. 


Milk  Teeth— Upper  Jaw. 


Permanent  Teeth— Upper  Jaw,  left  side. 


WHAT    TO    EAT. 


Very  likely  your  father  and  mother  have 
often  said  to  you,  "We  cannot  let  you  eat 
much  candy  for  it  would  spoil  your  teeth." 
Would  you  like  to  know  some  of  the  things 
that  are  really  good  for  you  to  eat,  and  that 
will  make  your  teeth  white  and  strong? 

In  the  first  place,  the  teeth  are  made  of 
lime  and  phosphates,  so  that  they  are  almost 
the  same  as  bone.  If  we  eat  food  that  has 
lime  and  phosphates  in  it,  our  teeth  will  be 
strong.  If  what  we  eat  does  not  have  these 
substances,  the  teeth  will  be  weak,  frail  and 
soft,  and  before  many-  years  they  will  be 
decayed. 

Milk  is  a  good  food,  especially  after  it 
has  been  boiled.  Buttermilk  is  all  right 
unless  the  butter  has  been  churned  from 
very  sour  milk. 

Wheat,  corn,  rye,  oats,  and  rice  are  the 
very  best  kind  of  food   unless  we  eat  too 

31 


32 

much,  of  them;  but  graham  and  whole  wheat 
bread  give  stronger  teeth  than  anything 
made  of  fine  white  flour.  We  should  eat 
oatmeal  or  something  of  the  sort  for  break- 
fast every  morning. 

It  seems  queer  to  think  that  it  makes 
any  difference  with  the  teeth  what  we  eat, 
but  it  is  the  same  as  with  the  plants.  We 
do  not  see  the  violet  drink  the  dew  and  the 
rain,  but  we  know  that  if  the  rain  does  not 
fall  the  flower  will  dry  up.  So  our  teeth 
take  in  the  part  of  our  food  that  they 
need  and  if  what  we  eat  has  nothing  for 
them  they  soon  grow  dark  and  decay. 

Eggs  are  best  when  soft  boiled.  Hard 
boiled  eggs  do  not  easily  digest,  and  what- 
ever is  not  good  for  the  stomach  may  in 
some  way  injure  the  teeth.  We  like  eggs 
better  with  a  little  salt  and  bread  or  toast 
than  all  alone,  and  our  teeth  enjoy  them 
better  that  way  too 

We  may  eat  meat  without  harming  our 
teeth  if  we  do  not  take  much.  Meat  should 
always  be  well   cooked.     Beef  and  mutton 


33 

are  more  healthful  than  any  other  kinds. 
We  ma}r  have  all  the  fish  we  want  if  we 
eat  onty  what  is  fresh  and  sweet. 

Did  you  know  that  beans  make  better 
teeth  and  contain  more  food  than  anything 
else  that  grows  in  the  garden? 

Ripe  fruit  is  very  wholesome,  and  of  this 
we  may  eat  as  much  as  we  like.  Cabbage, 
parsnips,  carrots,  onions,  tomatoes  and  beets 
may  also  be  used  on  our  table. 

These  are  only  a  few  of  the  things  we 
may  eat.  But  we  need  to  take  care  that 
we  have  the  proper  food,  or  we  shall  have 
to  wear  false  teeth  long  before  we  begin  to 
be  old.  Many  a  child  brought  up  on  dainty 
food  has  weak  and  frail  teeth,  because  the 
foods  he  eats  do  not  furnish  the  lime  and 
phosphates  needed,  while  the  child  living 
on  plain  food  is  more  likely  to  have  a 
mouthful  of  pretty  teeth  that  money  can- 
not buy. 

When  mother  says  in  the  morning,  "You 
must  finish  your  oatmeal  before  you  can 
have    anything    else,"    or     when    she   says 


34 

"You  must  eat  a  slice  of  bread  and  butter 
instead  of  cake,"  it  is  because  she  wants 
your  teeth  to  grow  strong  and  useful.  If 
you  eat  the  oatmeal,  every  bit,  and  take 
the  good  bread  and  butter  without  any  fuss, 
you  will  thank  her  some  day  for  helping 
you  to  have  teeth  that  are  pretty  and  will 
last  for  many  years. 


POINTS    TO    REMEMBER. 


We  must  eat  food  that  has  in  it  lime  and  phos- 
phates,   to    have    good    teeth. 

Milk    is    best    when    boiled. 

We  should  eat  some  coarse  grain  food  every 
day. 

Eggs  should  be  soft-boiled,  and  eaten  with  bread 
or    toast. 

Meat    should    be    well    cooked. 

Beans  and  peas  are  very  fine  food,  and  all  kinds 
of   vegetables    are    good. 


35 
QUESTIONS. 

i.     What    two  things    must  our   food    contain,  to 
give    us    strong    teeth  ? 

2.  What     should    be     done     to    milk    before    we 
drink    it  ? 

3.  What     shouid     we    have    for    breakfast    every 
morning  ? 

4.  How   should    eggs    be   cooked  ?     What  should 
we    eat    with    them  ? 

5.  What    are    the    best    kinds    of    meat? 

6.  What    is     the    most     healthful    kind    of    food 
that    grows    in    the    garden  ? 


HOW    TO    EAT. 


In  the  olden  days,  people  had  no  knives 
or  forks  to  eat  with.  Sometimes  a  large 
dish  was  placed  in  the  center  of  the  table 
and  each  person  put  his  fingers  right  into 
it,  took  out  what  he  wanted,  and  ate  it  from 
his  hands.  In  the  houses  of  the  wealthy 
they  were  a  little  nicer  about  eating,  for 
each  one  had  a  dish  to  himself,  but  still 
all  ate  with  the  fingers. 

This  meant,  of  course,  that  they  usually 
ate  fast  and  often  did  not  half  chew  their 
food.  A  great  deal  of  what  we  eat  is  soft, 
like  oatmeal,  and  if  we  should  be  com- 
pelled to  take  it  up  in  our  fingers  we  too 
would  swallow  it  down  just  as  fast  as  we 
could. 

By  and  by  people  grew  wiser,  and  they 
saw  that  if  they  failed  to  chew  their  food 
it  made  them  ill,  so  they  began  to  eat  with 
their  knives.     But  it  was  hard  to  eat  some 

36 


37 

things  even  with  knives  without  hurrying, 
so  some  w^ise  man  thought  of  making  forks 
to  eat  with. 

Now-a-days  we  think  it  very  impolite  to 
eat  with  anything  except  the  fork  or  spoon. 
Do  you  see  the  reason  why? 

For  the  sake  of  our  health  we  must  eat 
slowly  and  chew  our  food  fine  before  it  is 
swxallowed.  That  is  why  we  have  knives 
and  forks.  The  knives  help  us  to  cut  the 
food  into  small  pieces  so  that  we  can  chew 
them  well.  With  the  fork  we  put  the 
pieces  into  the  mouth  so  that  the  eating 
ma}^  be  done  slowly  and  quietly.  Knives 
and  forks  help  us  very  much  in  keeping 
our  teeth  white  and  firm. 

If  Thanksgiving  came  every  day  in  the 
year  our  teeth  would  probably  be  much 
worse  off  than  they  are  now.  There  is 
nothing  so  bad  for  the  stomach  and  teeth 
as  eating  too  much.  This  habit  of  eating 
more  than  the  body  needs  is  something 
that  most  people  have. 

You  do  not  want   to  get   into  this   habit, 


33 

do  you?  Then  make  it  your  rule  to  stop 
at  every  meal  when  you  feel  that  you 
have  eaten  enough.  Never  mind  if  you  do 
not  eat  your  pudding.  If  the  meat  and 
potato  were  all  you  needed  for  your 
dinner  be  wise  enough  to  let  the  dessert 
alone.  The  next  time  eat  less  of  the  first 
course  and  leave  room  for  the  pudding  or 
pie. 

Our  food  is  best  for  us  when  it  is  about 
as  warm  as  our  bodies,  that  is  ninety-eight 
degrees.  It  will  not  hurt  us  to  eat  what 
is  a  little  colder  or  a  little  warmer,  but  we 
ought  not  to  eat  very  much  ice  cream  or 
drink  much  ice  cold  soda. 

Hot  soup,  hot  enough  to  burn  the  stom- 
ach, is  just  as  bad,  for  anything  very  hot 
or  very  cold  will  crack  the  enamel  of  the 
teeth  and  then  they  soon  begin  to  decay. 

Now  here  is  something  for  children  to 
remember.  If  you  want  to  have  even, 
white  teeth,  and  if  you  want  to  keep  your 
own  teeth  many  years,  as  of  course  you 
do,  you  must  be  careful  to  eat  good,  whole- 


39 

some  food  and  take  plenty  of  out-door 
exercise,  as  whatever  injures  the  general 
health  indirectly  affects  the  teeth. 


POINTS    TO    REMEMBER. 

Food    must   be  eaten  slowly  and    chewed  well. 

We    should    not    eat   too    much. 

What  we  eat  should  not  be  very  hot  or  very 
cold. 

Anything  that  injures  the  general  health  affects 
in  an  indirect  way  also  the  health  of  the  teeth. 


QUESTIONS. 

1.  How   did    people    in    olden    times    eat  ? 

2.  What    "was     the     harm     in     eating    with     the 
fingers  ? 

3.  When  the   people  found    how  bad  it  was  for 
their   health    to    eat    fast    what    did    they    do  ? 


40 

4-     Why   is    it   impolite    to    eat    with    the  fingers 
or   the    knife    instead    of  the    fork  ? 

5.  How    much    should    we    eat? 

6.  How  do  we  know-  when  we  have  had  enough  ? 

7.  What    is    the    harm    in    eating   too    much  ? 

8.  How    warm   should    our    food    be? 

9.  What  is    the    harm    in    eating   too    much   ice- 
cream   and    other   very    cold  or  very  hot  things  ? 

10.  How  can  we  keep  our  teeth  in  good  health? 


Some  Kinds  of  Microbes. 


BAD  HABITS. 

There  was  once  a  little  girl  who  sucked 
her  thumb.  Her  father  and  mother  did 
everything  the)7  could  to  cure  her  of  the 
habit.  But  every  time  she  was  sitting  still 
or  walking  along  the  street  the  naughty 
little  thumb  would  creep  to  the  corner  of 
her  mouth  and  there  it  would  stay  till  she 
was  told  to  take  it  out. 

At  last  one  morning  when  the  little  girl 
was  dressed,  her  father  made  her  sit  down 
in  a  rocking-chair,  and  he  wrapped  her 
whole  hand  and  arm  in  a  sheet.  Then  he 
said,  "Now  we  are  going  to  keep  your 
thumb  wrapped  up  all  the  time  until  you 
stop  sucking  it." 

When  the  little  girl  looked  at  the  great 
bunch  of  cloth  covering  her  whole  arm, 
she  was  frightened,  for  she  thought  she 
was  never  going  to  see  her  hand  again. 
For  a  long  time   she   sat   very   still   in   the 

41 


42 

large  rocking-chair.  At  last  she  called  her 
father  and  told  him  that  if  he  would  take 
off  that  dreadful  sheet  she  would  never 
suck  her  thumb  again  as  long  as  she  lived. 
And  she  never  did. 

Would  you  like  to  know  why  it  was  so 
very  bad  for  the  little  girl  to  suck  her 
thumb  and  why  her  father  and  mother  tried 


An  ill-shaped  mouth  caused  by  sucking  the  thumb. 

so  hard  to  keep  her  from  doing  it?  In  the 
first  place  thumb  sucking  spoils  the  shape 
of  the  mouth,  so  that  one  who  has  had  this 
bad  habit  can  never  have  a  pretty  mouth 
as  long  as  he  lives. 

It  is  even   worse   for   the   teeth   than   for 
the  mouth.     On   this   page   you   will   see   a 


43 

picture  which  shows  how  very  badly  the 
teeth  look  when  one  has  sucked  his  thumb. 
There  is  danger  that  it  will  make  a  person 
lisp,  the  teeth  become  so  twisted  out  of  shape. 

So  besides  being  a  very  silly  habit,  sucking 
one's  thumb  is  very,  very  bad  for  the  health. 

Sometimes  a  boy  or  girl  gets  into  the 
habit  of  sticking  the  lips  or  drawing  the 
lower  lip  into  the  mouth.  This  is  a  habit 
likely  to  spoil  the  shape  of  the  mouth  as 
teeth  become  pressed  inward.  Constantly 
drawing  the  lower  lip  in,  presses  the  lower 
front  teeth  back  so  that  little  room  is  left 
for  the  back  teeth.  The  large  double  teeth 
are  crowded  so  close  together  that  there  is 
not  room  for  them  all.  Then  it  becomes 
necessary  either  to  take  out  some  of  the 
back  teeth  or  to  force  the  front  teeth  back 
where  they  belong.  So  just  because  a  child 
sucks  his  lips,  he  must  lose  one  or  more  of 
the  good  strong,  double  teeth  that  he  really 
needs  for  chewing  food. 

Shall  I  tell  you  what  is  done  to  cure 
children  of  sucking  their  lips?     If  they   do 


44 

not  stop  it  themselves  the  doctor  fixes  a 
piece  of  hard  rubber  in  the  mouth  between 
the  lips  and  the  teeth  so  that  the  lip  can- 
not be  moved.  There  the  rubber  is  kept 
until   the   habit  of  lip-sucking  is  forgotten. 

Sometimes  children  breathe  through  the 
mouth  instead  of  the  nose.  If  a  child  says 
he  cannot  breathe  through  his  nose  the 
doctor  should  see  if  there  is  something  the 
matter  with  the  nose  or  throat.  But  if  it 
is  just  a  careless  habit  of  dropping  the 
chin  and  so  taking  the  air  through  the 
mouth,  the  Indian  cure  is  the  best  way  to 
stop  it. 

If  a  little  Indian  baby  breathes  through 
its  mouth  its  mother  fastens  a  piece  of 
cloth  about  the  head  so  that  it  covers  the 
mouth  tightly.  Then  the  baby  must  breathe 
through  the  nose  or  not  breathe  at  all. 

Doctors  cure  the  habit  in  just  the  same 
way,  only  they  put  a  piece  of  rubber  across 
the  mouth  instead  of  the  cloth. 

Now  here  is  something  for  boys.  Nobody 
can  smoke   or  chew  tobacco,  or   drink   any 


45 

kind  of  liquor  without  spoiling  the  teeth. 
There  is  no  way  in  which  tobacco  can  be 
used  that  does  not  make  the  teeth  yellow. 
Besides  it  helps  to  ruin  them. 


The  Indian  Baby's  Home. 


46 
POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

Thumb-sucking    is    very    bad    for    the   teeth   and 
the  mouth. 

The  habit  of  sucking  the  lips  is  also  very  bad,  for 

it   presses   the   teeth   inward  so   that  their  shape  is 

spoiled. 


QUESTIONS. 

1.  How   was   one   little  girl   cured  of  sucking  her 
thumb  ? 

2.  What    does    sucking     the      thumb     do    to     the 
mouth  ? 

3.  What  does  it  do  to  the  teeth  ? 

4.  What  is  the  harm  in  sucking  the  lips  ? 

5.  What  is  done  to  cure  children  of  this  habit? 

6.  How  do  the  Indians  cure  their  babies  of  breath- 
ing through  the  mouth  ? 

7.  What  do  tobacco  and  liquor  do  to  the  teeth  ? 


WHY  TEETH  DECAY. 

People  often  wonder  just  what  makes 
teeth  decay.  There  are  several  things  that 
help  to  spoil  the  teeth  but  the  causes  are 
easy  to  understand. 

You  know  that  if  an  uncovered   dish   of 
j  cooked    fruit   is    al- 

y    J    '       lowed  to  stand  in  a 


warm  pantry   for  a 
j/f^y  j    /      *       few  days,  it    spoils. 

*  ^   /      '—f      /        On  the  pieces  of  the 

spoiled  fruit  can  be 
seen  little  specks  of 
green  mould.  Now 
this  mould  is  really 

Some  Microbes. 

a  sort  of  plant 
growing  on  the  fruit.  And  how  do  }rou 
suppose  the  seed  ever  got  into  that  pantry 
and  onto  the  fruit  so  that  the  little  mould 
plants  might  grow? 

It  is  probably  this  way.     Everywhere  in 

47 


48 

the  air  there  are  many,  many  tiny  microbes, 
or  plant  seeds  you  may  call  them  if  you 
like.  All  day  long  they  float  about,  so 
many  of  them  that  no  dish  of  food  could 
be  left  exposed  without  some  of  these  little 
microbes  lodging  in  it.  The  microbes  are 
so  small  that  we  could  not  possibly  see 
them,  but  when  a  lot  of  them  have  gathered 
on  our  fruit  we  can  see  the  mould  that 
grows  from  them. 

Now  it  is  just  as  bad,  or  even  worse,  if 
bits  of  food  are  caught  between  two  teeth 
and  allowed  to  remain  there,  we  open  our 
mouths  to  laugh,  or  to  cr}^,  or  to  eat,  and 
in  float  the  little  microbes  to  make  the  bits 
of  food,  such  as  meat,  spoil.  And  in  the 
mouth  they  become  foul  much  sooner  than 
they  would  in  a  pantry.  The  mouth  is 
warm  and  moist,  just  the  kind  of  place  to 
make  microbes  grow  fast,  spoiling  the  food 
on  which  they  grow 

If  you  should  taste  the  spoiled  fruit  in 
the  pantry  you  would  find  it  puckery  and 
very  sour.     The  microbes  have  turned  the 


49 


juice  to  an  acid.  And  that  is  just  what 
happens  in  the  mouth.  The  warmth,  the 
moisture,  and  the  microbes  make  an  acid  of 
the  food,  and  it  is  this  acid  that  decays  the 
teeth. 

You  can  see  just  how  the  acid  eats  away 

the  enamel,  and  then  the 
dentine,  and  makes  a  hole 
in  the  tooth. 

Ask  your  mother  or 
teacher  to  pour  a  bit  of 
acid*  upon  a  saucer  and 
drop  into  it  a  little  piece  of 
marble.  The  acid  eats  the 
marble  right  away.  The 
acid  in  the  mouth  eats 
away  the  tooth  in  the 
same  way,  only  it  does  the  work  much  more 
slowlv.  The  bits  of  food  left  about  the 
teeth  form  the  acid,  with  the  aid  of  the 
warmth  and  moisture.  The  teeth  are 
mineral,    so  the  acid  formed  there  does  the 


How  the  Teeth  Ought 
to  Look. 


*To  the  teacher  or  parent:  Muriatic  acid  should  be  used  for  this  experiment. 
Both  acid  and  marble  can  be  purchased  at  an  apothecary's. 


50 

same  thing  with  them  that  the  acid  did  to 
the   marble — eat   it   up. 

This  acid,  which  comes  from  the  warmth, 
moisture,  and  microbes  in  the  mouth,  is  the 
great  cause  of  decay.  But  there  are  a  few 
other  things  that  help.  Some  people  have 
softer  teeth  than  others  so  that  the  acid 
eats  them  away  more  quickly.  Then  if 
people  are  sick  their  teeth  are  apt  to  be  sick 
too  and  so  decay. 

The  only  way  to  keep  the  teeth  from 
decaying  is  to  clean  them,  to  eat  the  right 
kind  of  food,  to  take  plenty  of  exercise 
in  the  open  air  and  so  keep  well  and  strong. 
It  is  very  important  also  to  see  that  bits  of 
food  are  taken  from  between  the  teeth  after 
ever}?"  meal. 


POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

There  are  microbes  floating  everywhere  in  the  air. 

When  the  mouth  is  opened  these  microbes  float  in 
and  lodge  on  the  bits  of  food  caught  between  the 
teeth. 


5i 

The  warmth  and  moisture  of  the  mouth  help  the 
microbes  to  grow. 

These  microbes  turn  the  food  between  the  teeth 
to  an  acid,  and  this  acid  eats  the  teeth  away. 

The  acid  formed  in  the  mouth  eats  away  first  the 
enamel,  then  the  dentine,  and  finally  the  pulp. 

If  people  have  soft  teeth,  or  are  sick,  the  acid  in 
the  mouth  eats  away  or  decays  the  teeth  very 
quickly. 


QUESTIONS. 

i.  What    happens    to    cooked    fruit    if    it    is     left 
exposed  to  the  air  ? 

2.  What  is  the  mould  on  the  fruit  ? 

3.  How  does  the  mould-microbe  get  on  the  fruit? 

4.  What  happens  to  bits  of  food  allowed  to  remain 
between  the  teeth  ? 

5.  What    is    there    in    the    mouth    that    helps    the 
microbes  to  grow  ? 

6.  Into  what  do  the  microbes  turn  the  food  ? 

7.  What  does  this  acid  do  to  the  teeth  ? 

8.  What  kind  of  teeth  decay  most  easily  ? 

9.  What    must    we    do    to    keep    the     teeth    from 
decaying  ? 


TOOTHACHE. 

Suppose  }^ou  do  not  take  good  care  of 
your  teeth,  what  will  happen  ?  Your  teeth 
will  turn  yellow  and  dark.  But  there  is 
something  worse  than  that. 

If  you  are  careless  about  your  food  and 
about  brushing  your  teeth  they  will  punish 
you  by  aching.  Perhaps  you  think  because 
you  have  never  had  the  toothache  that 
you  never  will.  Though  }^ou  have  not  had 
it  so  far  that  is  no  proof  that  you  may  not 
have  it  to-morrow,  if  you  have  not  taken 
good  care  of  your  teeth. 

I  know  a  little  boy  only  four  years  old 
who  has  toothache  every  time  he  eats  any- 
thing sweet.  His  mother  always  lets  him 
eat  a  lot  of  candy,  and  he  never  eats  oat- 
meal for  his  breakfast.  That  is  the  trouble 
with  his  teeth. 

Sometimes  people  will  live  to  be  twenty- 
five  years  old  before  they   find   out   how   a 

52 


53 

toothache  feels.  Then  suddeiil}T  the  teeth 
that  have  not  been  well  cared  for  will 
begin  to  ache  and  hurt  so  badly  that  the 
person  will  not  know  what  to  do  for   pain. 


How  the  Squirrel  Eats. 


If  }Tou  have  ever  had  toothache  37ou  know 
how  bad  it  is.  If  yon  have  not,  take  good 
care  of  your  teeth  so  that  you  may  never 
trv  it. 


54 

When  the  toothache  comes,  it  means  that 
a  tooth  is  decayed  or  decaying.  If  you  go 
at  once  to  the  dentist  he  may  save  the 
to  >th  by  filling  it.  Very  often  he  can  keep 
it  from  decaying  any  more.  And  he  can 
nearly  every  time  stop  the  aching  at  once. 

You  remember  that  every  tooth  is  covered 
with  enamel.  Next  to  the  enamel  is  a  layer 
of  dentine,  and  inside  the  dentine  is  the 
pulp. 

The  tooth  begins  to  decay  from  the  out- 
side. Little  by  little  the  enamel  goes  away, 
just  how,  you  learned  in  the  chapter  "  Why 
Teeth  Decay.''  Then  after  the  enamel  is 
gone  the  dentine  begins  to  decay.  After  there 
is  no  more  dentine,  the  pulp  soon  follows. 

If  you  do  not  have  real  hard  toothache, 
but  a  certain  tooth  hurts  a  little  when  you 
eat  something  very  cold  or  very  hot,  it 
means  that  the  tooth  has  just  begun  to 
decay.  The  enamel  is  gone  and  the  dentine 
is  exposed. 

A  constant  severe  pain  in  a  tooth  means 
that  the  dentine  is  gone  and  the  pulp,  which 


55 

ought  to  be  covered  with  a  thick  dentine 
blanket  and  a  thinner  enamel  blanket,  is 
all  open  to  the  cold  air.  Do  you  wonder 
it  aches  hard  to  pay  for  being  so  badly  used  ? 

After  the  pulp  is  exposed  to  the  air,  the 
nerve  of  the  tooth  dies  and  the  tooth  turns 
dark.  We  call  it  a  dead  tooth  from  which 
all  sorts  of  sores  and  tooth  diseases  may 
come. 

If  an  aching  tooth  is  not  filled,  it  will 
grow  worse  and  worse.  Sometimes  a  gum- 
boil will  come  out.  The  gum  swells  and 
a  white  bunch  appears  on  the  outside  of 
the  gum.  It  is  very  sore  and  sometimes 
lasts  for  days. 

Sometimes  a  decayed  tooth  causes  a  sore 
which  breaks  through  on  the  outside  of 
the  cheek.  This  is  apt  to  make  the  person 
very  sick,  and  it  often  leaves  a  scar  that 
never  goes  away. 

POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

If  we  do  not  take  good  care  of  our  teeth  they  are 
sure  to  punish  us  sooner  or  later  by  aching. 


56 

If  a  tooth  does  not  really  ache,  but  hurts  a 
little  when  we  eat  something  very  cold  or  very  hot, 
it  is  just  beginning  to  decay. 

If  there  is  constant,  severe  pain,  the  dentine  is 
gone  and  the  pulp  is  exposed. 

After  the  pulp  becomes  exposed  the  tooth  dies. 

If  an  aching  tooth  is  not  filled,  it  is  likely  in  time 
die  and  cause  a  gum-boil  or  swelling,  or  perhaps 
a  sore  that  breaks  through  the  cheek. 


QUESTIONS. 

i .  What  makes  people  have  the  toothache  ? 

2.  What    is    the    best    thing  to   be    done   with    an 
aching  tooth  ? 

3.  Where  does  the  tooth  begin  to  decay  ? 

4.  When  a  tooth  is  sensitive  to  heat  and  cold,  how 
much  has  it  decayed  ? 

5.  When  a  tooth  aches  all  the  time  how  much  has 
it  decayed  ? 

6.  What   happens   to   a    tooth    after  the   pulp  has 
been  exposed  for  a  time  ? 

7.  What  happens  if  an  aching  tooth  is  not  filled  ? 


CURING   TOOTHACHE. 

If  the  toothache  comes  at  night  or  where 
a  person  cannot  reach  the  dentist  right 
awa}7  there  are  several  little  medicines  that 
will  stop  it  for  a  time. 

A  little  bit  of  oil  of  cloves  inserted  with 
cotton  in  the  hole  of  the  tooth  will  some- 
times help.  A  little  alcohol  used  in  the 
same  way  will  often  stop  the  pain. 

If  a  gum-boil  is  forming,  a  red  pepper 
poultice  or  a  dental  plaster  is  the  best  cure. 
To  make  the  poultice  put  in  a  cotton  bag 
a  mixture  of  three  parts  flour  and  one  part 
red  pepper.  Warm  it  and  put  it  on  the 
gums  right  over  the  sore  place. 

A  raisin  poultice  will  do  nearly  as  well 
as  red  pepper.  This  is  made  by  cutting 
several  large  raisins  in  two,  taking  out  the 
seeds  and  then  heating  the  soft  part.  A 
hot  raisin  put  right  on  the  gum  soothes 
the    pain.       When    it    is    cool    take    it    off 

57 


58 


and    put    on   another    hot    one  in  its  place. 

If  a  tooth  that  has  been  aching  is  filled  it  is 
sometimes  sore  for  a  day  or  two.  A  hot  foot- 
bath may  often  help  to  cure  the  soreness, 
as  it  takes  part  of  the  blood  away  from  the 
mouth  and  sends  it  down  towards  the  feet. 

After  the  teeth  have  been 
cleaned  by  the  dentist  they 
are  often  a  little  sore.  The 
best  cure  for  this  is  salt 
water.  Put  a  teaspoonful 
of  common  table  salt  into  a 
tumbler  of  warm  water. 
Rinse  the  mouth  with  the 
salt  water  half  a  dozen 
times  a  day. 

These  little  cures  for 
toothache  are  worth  knowing  about  if  you 
have  not  always  taken  good  care  of  your 
teeth.  But  there  are  many  grown-up 
people  who  have  never  had  the  toothache 
in  their  lives,  and  you  can  be  one  of  the  m 
if  you  eat  proper  food  and  brush  your 
teeth   twice   every   day   as  you  ought. 


Mr.  Bear  has  Very  Good 
Teeth. 


59 
POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

Oil  of  cloves  or  alcohol  will   often   stop  toothache 
A    red     pepper    or    a    raisin    poultice    will    ofter 
relieve  the  pain  caused  by  a  gum-boil. 
Salt  water  is  good  for  soreness  of  the  teeth. 


QUESTIONS. 

1.  When  a  tooth  is  aching  what  remedies  can  we 
try  ourselves  ? 

2.  If  a  gum-boil  has  formed  what  can  be  done  ? 

3.  Tell  how  to  make  a  red-pepper  poultice  ? 

4.  Tell  about  the  raisin  poultice. 

5.  If  a  tooth  that  has  been  filled  still  aches,  wha" 
can  be  done  to  ease  the  pain  ? 


;» 


1   ,r 

What  Microbes  Look  Like. 


TOOTH   MENDING. 

In  the  olden  times  people  thought  that 
all  a  dentist  was  good  for  was  to  pull  teeth. 
Very  often,  indeed,  the  barber  bought  a 
pair  of  forceps  and  drew  his  custorher's 
teeth  as  well  as  cutting  his  hair.  A 
blacksmith  could  always  be  found  who 
would  gladly  use  a  pair  of  his  large  tongs 
and  his  strong  muscles  in  pulling  out  the 
tough-rooted  tooth  of  one  of  his  neighbors. 

We  have  grown  wiser  in  these  days,  and 
we  know  that  only  a  trained  dentist  can 
tell  what  ought  to  be  done  to  our  teeth, 
and  after  the  grown-up  teeth  have  come 
he  very  seldom  finds  it  best  to  pull  one. 

If    we    are    careful    to    have    the    dentist 

look  at  our  mouths  once   in   six   months   it 

costs  very  little  to  keep  the   teeth   in   good 

condition.     If  the  dentist  finds  a  tiny   hole 

in  a  tooth   he   fills  it  at  once.     It  does  not 

hurt  much  to  have  the  work  done.     Besides, 

60 


6i 


the  cost  is  small  and  the  tooth  stops  decay- 
ing. Probably  it  will  need  nothing  more 
done  to  it  for  years. 

Just  as  soon  as  a  tiny  hole  comes  in  a 
tooth  it  ought  to  be  rilled.  The  rilling 
may  be  of  gold,  tin  or  silver.  If  a  baby 
tooth  begins  to  ache  it  can  be  filled  with 
a  soft  cement.  It  hurts  very  little  to  have 
this  put  in  and  it  will  last  until  the  grown- 
up tooth  comes  to 
take  the  place  of 
the  little  one.  The 
dentist  knows  better 
than  we  do  what  a 
tooth  ought  to  be 
filled  with  and  when 

it  should  be  done.  It  is  always  wise  to  let 
him  fix  our   teeth  as   he   thinks  best. 

To  fill  a  tooth  the  dentist  first  scrapes 
away  the  decayed  part.  He  cleans  the  hole' 
in  the  tooth  with  great  care,  then  he  puts 
into  it  some  substance  that  fills  the  hole  up 
smooth.  Any  rough  edges  of  the  tooth  or 
the  filling  are  smoothed  off  and  the  tooth  is 


A  Tooth  Crown. 


62 

ready  to  do  its  work  of  biting  or  chewing. 
This  all  sounds  very  simple,  but  no  one 
but  a  man  who  has  spent  years  in  learning 
how  can   rill   a   tooth   with   success. 

When  we  grow  careless  and  let  our  teeth 
go  for  a  year  or  two,  or  even  more,  they 
are  apt  to  be  much  worse  off.     Then  there 


How  a  Crown  is  Put  On. 


may  be  large  holes,  or  perhaps  if  it  is  a 
grown-up  tooth  it  may  need  to  be  crowned. 
A  crown  is  a  cap  made  to  fit  right  over 
an  old  worn-out  tooth.  For  a  back  tooth 
the  crown  is  of  a  thin  piece  of  gold.  It  is 
made  to  fit  the  tooth  which  is  to  wear  it, 
and  it  is  fastened  on  so  tight  that  it  can 
never    come    off.      The   crown    for    a   front 


63 

tooth  has  a  porcelain  face  so  that  it  may 
look  like  the  other  teeth. 

Once  in  a  while  a  tooth  has  to  be  pulled. 
If  the  dentist  says  so,  out  it  must  come. 
The  easiest  way  is  to  be  brave,  go  to  the 
dentist's  chair  and  just  let  him  take  out 
the  tooth.  It  does  not  mean  but  one  min- 
ute of  pain.  A  single  pull  and  the  tooth 
will  never  hurt  again. 

For  people  who  are  afraid  there  is  a 
kind  of  gas,  called  laughing-gas,  that  the 
lentist  sometimes  lets  them  breathe  so  that 
they  will  not  know  when  the  tooth  comes 
out.  But  it  is  much  better  to  let  the  gas 
alone  and  show  that  you  can  be  as  brave 
in  the  dentist's  chair  as  you  would  expect 
to  be  if  you  were  a  soldier  going  to  war. 

It  hurts  very  little  to  have  a  baby  tooth 
pulled.  Before  the  tooth  is  ready  to  come 
out  the  roots  all  go  away,  so  that  all  there 
is  to  be  pulled  is  the  little  tooth  itself.  The 
man  who  takes  it  out  knows  how  to  do  it 
so  easily  that  you  hardly  know  when  it 
comes. 


64 
POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

We  should  have  our  teeth  examined  by  a  dentist 
as  often  as  once  in  six  months. 

It  costs  very  little  and  hurts  hardly  at  all  to  have 
a  small  hole  filled  in  a  tooth. 

If  we  grow  careless  a  large  hole  may  need  filling, 
or  the  tooth  may  need  to  be  crowned. 


QUESTIONS. 

i.  Who  were  the  dentists  of  olden  times  ? 

2.  Who  is  the  only  one  who  should  fix  our  teeth  ? 

3.  Why    should    the    dentist    examine     our    teeth 
often  ? 

4.  What  happens  if  the  teeth  are  neglected  for  two 
or  three  years  ? 

5.  What  is  a  tooth  crown  ? 

6.  How    does  the   crown   for   a  back  tooth   differ 
from  one  for  a  front  tooth  ? 

7.  What  substances  are  used  for  filling  teeth  ? 

8.  What  is  the  best  filling  for  a  baby  tooth  ? 

9.  What  is  the  best  way  to  have  a  tooth  pulled  ? 

10.  What    is    used   for   people   who   are   afraid    to' 
have  their  teeth  taken  out  ? 


TOOTH-BRIDGES   AND   PLATES. 

At  Mt.  Vernon,  the  beautiful  home  where 
George  Washington  spent  most  of  his  life, 
many  of  the  great  man's  things  are  kept. 
Among  them  is  a  set  of  false  teeth  that 
Washington  is  said  to  have  worn.  The 
teeth  are  white  china,  fastened  to  a  plate  of 
solid  gold.  They  look  very  little  like  natu- 
ral teeth,  and  the  gold  plate  is  very  large. 
Either  Washington  must  have  had  a  huge 
mouth  or  else  he  found  his  teeth  very  un- 
comfortable. 

When  we  look  at  the  queer  old  teeth 
people  wore  a  hundred  years  ago,  we  can 
see  how  much  progress  the  dentists  have 
made  since  Washington's  day.  The  plates 
which  are  to  hold  false  teeth  are  usually 
made  of  hard  rubber,  colored  so  as  to  look 
almost  exactly  like  the  gums.  The  teeth 
themselves  are  of  porcelain,  but  instead 
of  leaving  them  white  like  ordinary   china, 

65 


66 

they   are  tinted  a  cream  color  so  that  they 
look  almost  like  natural  teeth. 

If  a  person  can  keep  a  few  of  his  own 
teeth  by  having  them  carefully  filled,  den- 
tists are  very  skilful  in  fastening  false 
teeth    to    these    without    any    plate    at    all. 


This  is  called  bridge- work.  The  bridge  can 
be  built  only  when  there  are  two  or  more 
teeth  strong  enough  to  be  crowned,  with 
spaces  from  which  teeth  have  been  lost 
between  them.  The  crowns  and  teeth  are 
arranged   like   this:   a   natural   tooth   strong 


67 

enough  for  a  crown,  then  a  tooth  fastened 
to  the  crown,  then  another  tooth  fastened 
to  that,  then  if  the  space  is  all  rilled,  a 
second  natural  tooth  is  crowned  and  to 
this  the  other  end  of  the  bridge  is  fastened. 

Bridging  teeth  requires  very  skilful  and 
very  careful  work  on  the  part  of  the  den- 
tist, but  it  is  wonderful  how  well  one's 
mouth  may  be  made  to  look  with  them. 
Ir  Washington  could  only  see  what  fine 
work  can  be  done  for  mouths  in  our  day, 
he  would  probably  feel  like  throwing  his 
great  china  and  gold  contrivance  into  the 
nearest  river. 

Have  you  ever  thought  how  wonderful  it 
is  that  a  set  of  false  teeth  fastened  to  a 
plate  remains  so  firmly  in  place  when  once 
it  is  put  in  the  mouth?  The  firmness 
depends  upon  two  things:  adhesion  and  the 
pressure  of  the  air.  These  words  perhaps 
mean  very  little  in  themselves,  but  you 
can  understand  them  by  two  little  experi- 
ments. 

If    you   take   two   panes   of  window-glass 


68 

and  press  them  firmly  together  you  will 
find  that  it  is  not  at  all  easy  to  separate 
them  again.  They  hold  together  by  adhe- 
sion, and  the  pressure  of  the  air.  The  par- 
ticles of  glass  cling  to  each  other  and  then 
the  air  presses  against  the  outside  of  the 
two  panes  and  helps  to  keep  them  together. 

If  you  have  ever  played  with  a  leather 
sucker  you  know  exactly  how  these  forces 
do  their  work.  A  sucker  is  a  round  piece 
of  leather  (often  cut  from  the  side  of  an  old 
shoe)  with  a  hole  in  the  center  large  enough 
to  allow  a  piece  of  twine  to  pass  through. 
The  twine  is  knotted  on  the  under  side  of 
the  leather  so  that  it  will  remain  attached. 

To  use  the  sucker,  the  leather  is  soaked 
well  in  water.  The  upper  end  of  the  string 
is  held  in  the  hand,  and  the  soaked  leather 
pressed  hard  on  a  piece  of  brick  or  a  flat 
stone.  With  a  little  care  the  leather  can  be 
made  to  hold  to  the  stone  so  fast  that  both 
leather  and  stone  can  be  lifted  by  the  string 
and  carried  or  whirled  in  the  air.  Adhesion 
makes  the  leather  and  stone  cling  together. 


69 

The  pressure  of  the  air  holds  them  in  place. 

False  teeth  stay  in  the  mouth  in  just  the 
same  way.  We  sa3^  they  are  held  by  suc- 
tion, but  b}^  this  we  mean  simply  that  the 
air  is  pressed  out  between  the  plate  holding 
the  teeth  and  the  roof  of  the  mouth  so  that 
there  can  be  adhesion  between  the  two  parts. 

You  have  perhaps  seen  some  one's  false 
teeth  drop  down  onto  the  tongue  when  the 
person  was  talking  or  eating.  This  was 
because  the  plate  did  not  fit  the  roof  of  the 
mouth  exactl}r  and  the  air  could  get  in 
between.  The  air  kept  the  roof  or  palate 
and  the  rubber  from  adhering  together  so 
that  any  movement  allowed  the  teeth  to  fall. 

POINTS  TO  REMEMBER. 

Very  often  people  can  have  teeth  fastened  in  their 
mouths  without  any  plate  at  all,  by  means  of 
bridges. 

If  the  teeth  are  so  far  gone  that  a  bridge  cannot 
be  held  in  place,  of  course  a  plate  must  be  used. 

The  plate  is  held  in  place  by  what  is  known  as 
suction. 


JO 

QUESTIONS. 

i.  How    do    false    teeth    now-a-days    differ    from 
Washington's  false  teeth  ? 

2.  What  is  a  tooth  bridge  ? 

3.  What  are  the  parts  of  the  bridge  ? 

4.  When  can  a  tooth  bridge  be  built  ? 

5.  What  makes  false  teeth  stay  in  the  mouth  ? 

6.  How  can  you  show   adhesion   "with   two  pieces 
of  glass  ? 

7.  What  does  a  leather  sucker  do  ? 

8.  What  makes  the  leather  sucker  hold  the  stone  ? 

9.  Why  do  false   teeth  sometimes  fall  down  from 
the  roof  of  the  mouth  onto  the  tongue  ? 


APPENDIX. 


SUMMARIES. 


Names  of  Teeth. 

m       , .  „  ,    )  temporary,  or  milk  teeth  [baby  teeth]  ; 

Two  different  sets  \  ,  . ,     .- 

)  permanent  teeth. 


Kinds  of  teeth 


incisors,  or  cutting  teeth ; 
ca?iines,  or  tearing  teeth  [eye  teeth]  ; 
bicuspids  [sometimes  called  " false  grinders"]; 
molars,  or  grinding  teeth  [true  grinders]. 


Arrangement  of  Teeth. 
a. — temporary,  or  milk  teeth.     [20.] 

2  I  2    +    2  I  2         =IO  \ 

molars,  canines,  incisors,  canines,  molars,  >•  20. 

2  1  2   +  2  1  2      =10  ) 

B. — PERMANENT   TEETH.       [32.] 
3  2  12    +    21  2  3         =l6  ] 

molars,  bicusp,  canines,  incisors,  canines,  bicusp,  molars,  >•  32. 

3  2  12   +  21  2  3       =16  ) 

Usual  Order  of  Appearance. 

i. — of  milk  teeth. 

Central  incisor 5 -6th  month, 

Lateral  incisor - 7-8th       ' ' 

First  molar i2-i6th     ' ' 

Canines i4-20th     " 

Second  molars 2i-36th     " 

7i 


72 

II. — PERMANENT   TEETH. 

First  molars 5-6th    year. 

Central  incisors,  lower  jaw 6-7  h  ' ' 

Central  incisors,  upper  jaw 7-8'  h  ' ' 

Lateral  incisors 7-9 1  h 

First  bicuspids 9-10. h  " 

Second  bicuspids io-nth  " 

Canines 11-13'h  " 

Second  molars 12-15  ih  ' ' 

Third  molars  or  wisdom  teeth ij-2^6.  ' ' 

The  illustrations  on  the  opposite  page  indicate  the  shapes  and 
positions  of  both  tempo-  ary  and  permanent  teeth.  Examination  of 
children's  mouths  will  enable  teachers  and  parents  to  distinguish  the 
temporary  from  the  permanent  teeth  at  a  glance 

Parts  and  Structure  of  a  Tooth. 

„  .     .     -        ,    )  crown, 

Two  principal  parts  V  , 

r  j  fang,  or  root. 

The  line  of  union  of  the  crown  and  the  fang  is  called  the  neck. 

(  dentine, 
C  hard  substance  -j  enamel, 

(  cementum. 
Structure  -I 
I 
1^  soft  substance:  dental  pulp. 

Dentine  is  yellowish  white  and  consists  of  72  per  cent,  bone -earth 
and  28  per  cent,  bone-cartilage.     [Chief  constituent  of  a  tooth.] 

Enamel  covers  the  exposed  surface  of  the  teeth,  is  glistening 
white,  and  is  the  hardest  substance  in  the  human  body,  contain  ng 
only  about  2  per  cent,  of  animal  matter.  [Protects  the  teeth  by  pre- 
venting rapid  wearing  away.] 

Cementum  is  a  thin  layer  of  bone  covering  the  surface  of  the  fangs 
or  roots. 


Diagram  showing  relative  positions  of  temporary  and  permanent  teeth,  in  both 
upper  and  lower  jaw  (inner  row,  temporary  teeth;  outer  row,  permanent  teeth). 


73 


Care  of  the  Milk  Teeth  and  General  Cautions* 

It  is  very  important  that  teachers  should 
emphasize  the  necessity  of  care  of  the  milk 
teeth.  Wholesome  food,  daily  cleansing  with 
tepid  water  and  a  soft  brush,  and  avoidance 
of  sweets  or  hard  substances,  will  lay  the 
foundation  for  lifelong  health  of  the  body  in 
general,  as  well  as  of  the  second  teeth.  If 
the  milk  teeth  are  neglected,  so  that  they  be- 
come sensitive  or  decayed,  the  food  is  not 
properly  masticated,  and  life-long  dyspepsia 
is  liable  to  result.  What  is  more,  since  the 
germs  of  the  permanent  teeth  have  their 
place  in  the  jaws  long  before  the  milk  teeth 
are  shed,  any  decay  or  disease  of  the  earlier 
growth  tends  to  weaken  and  deform  the 
teeth  that  are  supposed  to  serve  for  a  life- 
time. 

It  is  not  sufficient  simply  to  tell  little  chil- 
dren that  their  teeth  should  be  brushed  daily. 
The  process  should  be  carefully  explained. 
It  is  well  for  every  one  to  remember  that  it 
is  not  force  but  prudence  which  cleanses  the 
teeth.  It  is  very  mischievous  to  brush  them 
as  if  they  were  stove-lids.  Let  the  children 
know  that  it  is  not  so  much  the  teeth  them- 
selves as  the  spaces  between  them,  that  need 
to  be  cleansed  from  food  A  moderately  soft 
brush,  which  allows  the  hairs  to  enter  be- 
tween the  teeth  and  dislodge  any  deposit, 
serves  the  purpose  best.     Tell  the  children 

74 


75 

that  the  mouth  should  be  rinsed  with  water, 
and  the  spaces  between  the  teeth  rendered 
clean  of  any  extraneous  matter. 

Dr.  Dio  Lewis  was  once  asked  to  address 
the  pupils  of  a  well-known  boys'  school.  He 
told  the  young  men  that  he  had  just  one  word 
for  them,  but  that  message  was  more  impor- 
tant than  any  a  great  commander  could  give 
his  men,  for  its  fulfillment  would  mean 
health,  wealth  and  happiness.  When  the 
boys  were  all  on  the  qui  vive  to  hear  what  the 
message  was,  the  wise  old  Doctor  continued 
in  solemn  tones,  "My  one  word  to  you  is, 
pick  your  teeth."  The  boys  thought  this  a 
good  joke  and  burst  out  laughing.  But  they 
soon  regarded  the  matter  in  a  different  light. 
For  Dr.  Lewis  went  on  to  explain  how  the 
heat  of  the  mouth  renders  meat  deposits  be- 
tween the  teeth  putrid,  so  that  all  sorts  of 
diseases  are  bred  and  foul  smells  issue  there- 
from. 

Tooth  picking  is  quite  important.  The 
ordinary  wooden  toothpicks  are  not  well 
suited  for  the  purpose.  Quills  are  better. 
But  floss  silk  is  perhaps  the  most  satisfactory 
means. 

Much  stress  should  be  laid  on  the  need  of 
having  decayed  milk  teeth  cared  for  by  the 
dentist.  The  lessons  given  in  this  book  af- 
ford opportunity  for  examination  of  every 
child's  mouth.  If  any  dark  spot  or  decayed 
space  is  seen,  or  if  a  child   complains  that 


76 

cold  water  or  candy  makes  the  teeth  ache, 
parents  should  take  the  sufferer  to  a  dentist 
at  once.  If  the  teacher  is  the  one  who  dis- 
covers the  difficulty,  she  should  send  a  note 
calling  attention  to  the  danger  of  neglect  and 
suggesting  that  the  child  requires  attention. 
Most  parents,  even  if  they  fail  to  comprehend 
the  importance  of  dental  treatment,  will  fol- 
low out  a  suggestion  thus  made. 

Parents  should  be  cautioned  against  hav- 
ing children's  milk  teeth  removed  too  early. 
Nature  will  indicate  the  proper  time.  Usually 
the  little  teeth  become  loose  themselves,  be- 
cause they  are  pushed  by  the  permanent  teeth 
which  are  soon  to  replace  them.  Injudicious 
removal  of  the  first  teeth  is  apt  to  cause  irreg- 
ularity of  the  permanent  teeth.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  the  six-year  molars,  often 
called  the  six-year-old  teeth,  are  the  first  of 
the  permanent  teeth  to  grow.  Parents  some- 
times confuse  these  with  milk  teeth,  and  con- 
sequently have  them  pulled.  As  no  others 
will  ever  take  their  places,  spaces  will  be  left 
in  the  jaws,  in  after  years,  between  the  wis- 
dom teeth  and  the  teeth  farther  forward. 
This  will  either  necessitate  bridges  or  will 
leave  an  ugty-looking  mouth. 

No  tooth  should  be  extracted  because  it  is 
sensitive  or  aches.  The  advisability  of  ex- 
traction is  a  matter  for  the  dentist  alone  to 
determine. 


77 
THE    BEST    AUTHORITY 

IN    MATTERS    RELATING    TO    DENTAL    SCIENCE 

is  The  Dental  Cosmos.  In  an  extended  edi- 
torial review  of  Dr.  Bell's  "  Our  Teeth  :  How 
to  Take  Care  of  Them,"  it  says  : 

"  This  primer  is  a  very  creditable  attempt  to  put  useful  knowledge  concerning 
the  teeth  into  a  form  understandable  by  children,  and  is  intended  for  their  in- 
struction in  the  schoolroom  in  connection  with  the  general  instruction  which  is 
given  in  some  of  the  elementary  school  courses  in  physiology  and  hygiene.  The 
treatment  of  the  subject  is  extremely  simple  and  should  be  within  the  easy  com- 
prehension of  young  children The   pictures  and   illustrations 

throughout  the  book  are  very  well  selected,  and  add  much  to  the  teaching  value 
of  the  work. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  OF  SCHOOL       . 
SUPERINTENDENTS. 

"  Our  Teeth:  How  to  Take  Care  of  Them"  deserves  considerable atte ntion 
from  school  people.  E.  H.  Mark. 

Louisville,  Ky. 

"  Our  Teeth:  How  to  Take  Care  of  Them,"  by  Victor  C.  Bell,  seems  to  be 
just  what  is  needed  on  this  subject.  J.  H.  Collins. 

Springfield,  111. 

I  am  sure  that  such  a  book  as  "  Our  Teeth:  How  to  Take  Care  of  Them  " 
in  the  hands  of  children  would  be  of  life  service  to  them. 

Salem,  Ohio.  J.  s.  Johnson. 

It  is  practical  and  interesting.  H.  B.  Hayden. 

Rock  Island,  111. 

Dr.  Bell  has  given  us  a  helpful  book.  It  is  simple,  interesting,  and  faithful 
in  description  and  representation.  The  growing  attention  to  this  neglected  and 
important  phase  of  health-training  is  most  satisfactory.  W.  H.  Elson. 

Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

I  hav«  examined  "Our  Teeth,"  by  Dr.  Bell,  and  regard  it  as  admirably 
adapted  for  a  supplementary  reader  on  this  important  subject.  The  subject-mat- 
ter is  presented  in  an;  interesting  manner  and  is  highly  valuable.     The  careful 


78 

reading  of  the  book  ought  to  lead  children  to  give  better  care  to  their  teeth,  as 
well  as  a  more  careful  observance  to  the  laws  of  health.  H.  E.  Kratz. 

Sioux  City,  Iowa. 

The  book  will  arouse  interest  in  an  important  but  neglected  subject  and  will 
do  much  good.  James  H.  Griffith. 

Washington,  N.  J. 

It  is  written  in  an  entertaining  style  and  treats  of  a  very  important  subject. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  more  attention  should  be  given  this  than  it  usu- 
ally receives,  and  if  this  book  were  read  by  all  school  children  much  benefit  would 
be  received.  Vernon  L.  Davey. 

East  Orange,  N.  J. 

I  am  glad  Dr.  Bell  has  prepared  so  attractive  and  simple  a  book  on  such  an 
important  but  long-neglected  subject.  He  has  done  the  children,  as  well  as  the 
parents  and  schools  of  this  country,  an  invaluable  service. 

Washington,  Ga.  H.  C.  Hollingsworth. 

I  like  it  very  much.  I  am  sure  it  will  win  a  place  for  itself  among  supple- 
mentary readers.  L.  H.  Jones. 

Cleveland,  Ohio. 

I  read  "  Our  Teeth  "  from  title  to  finis.  Every  teacher  should  have  a  copy 
on  her  desk  and  read  a  chapter  a  day,  or  have  the  children  read  it  aloud  for  the 
valuable  and  useful  information  it  contains.  James  M.  Greenwood. 

Kansas  City,  Mo. 

WHAT    SOME    OF    THE    EDUCATIONAL 
JOURNALS    SAY  : 

There  are  phases  of  physiology  about  the  teaching  of  which  there  is  a  wide 
divergence  of  opinion.  Some  facts  cannot  be  taught  in  school,  some  others  must 
be  taught  with  caution,  but  there  are  some  subjects  about  the  teaching  of  which 
there  is  no  question,  and  chief  of  these  is  the  teeth.  The  teeth  are  often  ruined 
beyond  recall  in  school  days.  This  might  be  prevented  in  forty-nine  cases  in 
every  fifty  if  the  school  did  all  that  might  be  done  in  this  direction.  Cervantes 
said  in  the  long  ago:  "  A  sound  tooth  is  of  more  value  than  a  diamond,"  and  of 
this  there  are  not  two  opinions.  If  this  be  so,  what  does  it  signify  that  a  child 
has  a  little  more  arithmetic,  geography,  grammar,  or  spelling  at  the  expense  of  a 
knowledge  of  his  teeth  and  the  care  of  them  ?  Here  is  a  book  by  the  use  of 
which,  in  twenty  lessons,  at  the  most,  the  teeth  of  every  one  of  fifty  children, 
more  or  less,  may  almost  certainly  be  saved.  Now,  if  any  child  in  the  schools 
goes  out  into  life  cursed  with  toothache,  with  the  disgrace  of  foul  teeth,  or  with 
the  necessity  of  false  teeth,  whose  fault  is  it? — Journal  of  Education,  Boston. 

The  instruction  is  here  made  plain  and  attractive,  and  the  book  cannot  fail 
to  do  good  where  used. — School  Bulletin,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

The  book  is  adapted  to  the  use  of  children  and  will  be  thoroughly  enjoyed  by 
them- Connecticut  School  Journal. 


